Derek McInnes on Lawrence Shankland's Role at Rangers

Derek McInnes insists Lawrence Shankland will be a driving force at Rangers this season – whether he is in the starting XI or not.

The Rangers manager, who made Shankland his captain at Hearts and handed him the armband again at Ibrox, watched his striker sit out Sunday’s 5-1 League Cup win over St Mirren from the bench, with Nico Raskin leading the team instead. It was a clear signal that reputation and rank will not guarantee minutes under McInnes.

Captaincy without guarantees

McInnes made that point directly to Shankland when the Scotland forward followed him from Tynecastle to Govan in the summer.

“I said that when I spoke to Lawrence. Being captain does not guarantee anything, and he accepted that,” McInnes explained ahead of Thursday’s UEFA Conference League play-off first leg against Jablonec at Ibrox.

There was no sulking, no drama.

“He is not going to stamp his feet about it. Somebody has to be club captain and, having worked with Lawrence before, he is a brilliant captain and a brilliant boy.

“He has a lot to offer. People can maybe look too much into it.

“You want your captain to have a big influence on and off the pitch, and I believe Lawrence will have that.

“For me, it is a non-question, although I understand why people might see more in it.”

Shankland has yet to ignite in front of goal in his new surroundings. He has started the season slowly, with just one Rangers goal to his name so far – a penalty against Jagiellonia in a Europa League qualifier – and came off the bench for only the second time this campaign in the second half against St Mirren without adding to that tally.

McInnes calm over Shankland’s slow start

If there is concern in the stands, there is none in the dugout.

“When you have a player like Lawrence, who knows his way around the penalty box and how to score goals, I do not worry too much about it,” McInnes said.

“He is too good not to score regularly. He has consistently shown that over a period of time in the Premiership, with 20-odd goals a season at Hearts.

“Sometimes people can overemphasise these things.

“For me, it is a case of letting him play his natural game.

“The best strikers have that instinctive side to their game, where everything looks natural and seamless. I have no doubt he will do well here.”

The message is clear: the armband might move, the minutes might fluctuate, but Shankland’s status in McInnes’ plans has not shifted.

Nedeljkovic arrives to bolster right flank

While questions circled around his captain, McInnes quietly ticked off another item on his summer to-do list.

Earlier on the same day, Rangers confirmed the arrival of Kosta Nedeljkovic from Aston Villa on a season-long loan, with an obligation to buy. The 20-year-old Serbia international becomes McInnes’ 11th signing of a busy window and will immediately compete with Dujon Sterling and Ross McCrorie for the right-back slot.

It is an area McInnes had ringed in red months ago.

“It was a position we identified at the start of pre-season. We looked at various options,” he said. “The club had been reliant on Dujon, who has had his history of injuries, so we wanted to bring in a different type of full-back.

“I've got a high opinion of Dujon, but with Kosta you get a player similar to Vanja in a full-back position: real enthusiasm, athleticism and the ability to get up and down the pitch.

“He shows good quality and a real eagerness to play the role.

“As a young player, there will still be areas to improve, but we're looking forward to helping him develop.”

With a new right-back through the door and a proven goalscorer still trusted to find his rhythm, McInnes takes Rangers into Europe this week with his captain under scrutiny from the outside, but not from within Ibrox.